KatGold

************The short version is this question--- Which absorbs sound best: cotton batting or egg crate foam? Read on if you want the details************

Wow! I searched for a soundproofing forum not expecting to actually find one. I am SO GLAD TO FIND YOU FOLKS!!! I need help.

I gots me some rooster troubles!

I keep him in the shed, which helps but isn't good enough. So, I built a sound box for him (the rooster room) made of a plastic storage container and foam egg crate material. It would probably work perfectly if I didn't cut windows in it, but the poor guy does need to breath.

This solution isn't too bad. It might actually work. But I want to try something else.

Over the weekend, I built a box made of half inch, solid, long-leaf pine. It's very sturdy. The are the doors from my neighbor's old kitchen cabinet.

The rectangular box is 24"x19". There are four walls and a roof that does not cover the entire roof area. There is a gap on the roof that is 24" x 5".

The gap is there because that's the way the wood worked. But I am happy with it, because that will be his ventilation.

I have two questions for you fine folks:

1) I decided to use the wood because it's so thick, I thought it would be better than the plastic storage container. But now I wonder if I just built a big sound projector (like a guitar) and if the base box would be better in plastic.

2) Assuming that the wood is better and I stick with the idea (which I still suspect the thick wood is better), I have the option of covering the inside of the box with either cotton batting or egg crate foam. Which is likely to absorb the most sound?

3) Is leaving the top slightly open a totally bozo move? Should I have closed the top and put a window on a side? Or does it not matter at all?

Okay, that was 3 questions.

I am grateful, and my neighbors will be eternally gratefully, for whatever advice you can offer.

Depending on how much reduction you need you might need to add more mass to the outside of the box. You absolutely want a lid on this thing...once you put a window in it this will be the weak spot so this will decide if you can add more mass to make it quieter or not.

agarofal

I am having a similar problem. I have a chicken coop but need to soundproof as my roosters are waking the neighbors. Whatever I use has to be nontoxic to the birds. I was thinking of trying old carpet remnants or cardboard egg cartons attached to the inside walls. Will either of these work?

jhbrandt

Carpet is iffy.. what you really need is tight construction - which is not necessarily the best for the birds. I'm sure that carpet will help some by absorbing some of the sound energy before it escapes. The trick is absorbing enough of the energy and at the frequencies of interest.

I recommend that you go with a 'tested' product but if the carpet remnants are cheap or free - Try it!.